There is more to Europe's recession than what is being discussed. It was officially announced Thursday that Europe is in the second leg of a double dip recession. It is not just affecting the economic health but also the nutritional health of the citizens. Obesity is one of the biggest health concerns haunting the continent now.
Fruit and vegetable consumption is diminishing across the continent, people are choosing food over money and not quality, states a report in International Herald Tribune.
Female unemployment and consumption of cheaper and low nutrition food are some of the reasons behind obesity. "In general, women are more prone to suffer from depression and anxiety, and the current crisis situation, which - for many - has led to a loss of income and resources, is greatly affecting how and what they are eating", nutrition expert, Elisabeth Gonzalez told Spanish news agency, EFE.
Obesity is nothing new in Europe, but of late, the pace has been picking up and this is due to emotional over-eating because of unemployment. Approximately 17 percent Europeans are considered obese according to the IHT report.
The situation in Ireland seems to be as dire. "The unemployed, low-paid workers, people who are ill, disabled or poorly educated, families with more than three children and lone parents are most at risk," an Irish Examiner report quotes. A recent "Safefood" study says that ten percent of people in Ireland cannot afford a regular balanced diet. Experts say that government should focus more on nutrition, diet and exercise and should do more to ensure health care during economic crisis.
Poor food choices and increasing food prices cause obesity. Obesity is directly proportional to chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart ailments, cancer and arthritis. "If the report does not yet show any worsening health outcomes due to the crisis, there is no cause for complacency - it takes time for poor social conditions or poor quality care to take its toll from people's health", Yves Leterme of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said.
